Nonlinear optical properties are the basis of newly emerging photonics technologies in which light works with, or even replaces, electrons in applications traditionally carried out by microelectronics. Second-order nonlinear optical processes, in which the response is proportional to the square of applied electric fields, arise only in materials that are noncentrosymmetric. As a result, the design of molecules which crystallize or can be organized into noncentrosymmetric structures is an active area of materials research. Approaches to the formation of noncentrosymmetric molecular structures include the attachment of chiral groups, the incorporation of molecules into host materials, the formation of Langmuir-Blodgett or synthetic multilayer films, and the poling of polymers. However, all of these methods have limitations with regard to chromophore density, degree of orientation, preparation of bulk optical-quality samples, ease of device fabrication, transparency, long term and thermal stability, and phase matching.
There exists a need in the art for new methodologies for the production of noncentrosymmetric structures for future nonlinear optical technologies.